Sea-Tac security supervisor admits to luggage thefts

A security supervisor at Sea-Tac International Airport has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $20,000 worth of items from checked luggage.

Randy Pepper, a 50-year-old Spanaway resident, pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges related to the string of thefts, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office at Seattle.

Hired by the Transportation Security Administration in 2007, Pepper was fired in July 2009 after the thefts were discovered. In pleading guilty, Pepper, a supervisory transportation security officer, admitted to taken money and jewelry from luggage he was inspecting at Sea-Tac.

Authorities began investigating Pepper after another TSA employee reported seeing him removing items from luggage. According to the statement, most of the items stolen by Pepper could not be recovered because they were melted down.

Pepper faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced Nov. 19 by U.S. District Court Judge John C. Coughenour. He pleaded guilty to the felony charge of being an officer or employee of the federal government converting property of another to his own benefit.